Lord Salisbury had a great reception at Nottingham on Tuesday,
where a conference of Conservative and Unionist Associations was held, with Sir A. Rollit in the chair, and a resolution passed in favour of the formation of a great " National " party, of which, however, it was added that Lord Salisbury was "the natural chief." In other words, the Con- servatives were quite willing to absorb the Liberal Unionists. Lord Salisbury, in replying to the resolution, said that he himself had thought it probable that he would do better to give place to some other statesman,--meaning, of course, Lord Hartington,—as the chief of such a party, at which there were loud cries of "No, no !" but that this was not a matter for the leaders, but for the parties themselves to determine. Great parties could not be moved about on the political board like so many chessmen. They must grow, and must develop for them- selves the conditions under which they would flourish best,—a remark which seems to indicate that Lord Salisbury, like Lord Harting,ton and Mr. Chamberlain, does not thInk that the time has quite come as yet for a complete fus!o i of the Col, servatives and Liberal Unionists in a single patty. if that party is to be stronger and more harmonious than the present alliance between the two.
